Business Life Archives - Page 137 of 187

Welcome to the SOB Cafe

We offer the best in thinking–articles on the business of blogging written by the Successful and Outstanding Bloggers of Successful Blog. Click on the title shots to enjoy each selection.

The Specials this Week are

Chartreuse BETA names the new “Catcher in the Rye.”

Bloggers Blog reviews mistakes we should steer clear of.

Seth’s Blog considers the options when folks take advantage of a business’s good faith policies.

Simplenomics is right on the money again.

Publishing 2.0 has a suggestion for emerging blog media moguls.

Related ala carte selections include

Working at Home on the Internet has a toy that spoof Web 2.0.

The ~~Selfish~~ Savvy Giver has the peace chant for 2006.

Sit back. Enjoy your read. Nachos and drinks will be right over. Stay as long as you like.
No tips required. Comments appreciated.

Have a great weekend!

–ME “Liz” Strauss

Net Neutrality Links

I’m adding this link to the Net Neutrality Page.

Note To Telcos: Please Get Better Shills

. . . Now, we have Sonia Arrison, who works for a think tank that is funded by telcos. Last month she was claiming that if net neutrality legislation came to be it would be the end of the internet, while then trotting out a freebie about how muni-WiFi would also destroy the internet (ignoring, of course, that almost every muni-WiFi effort nowadays is structured in an almost identical manner to the deals her telco funders got for copper and fiber rights of way — and, in fact, that telcos have now started bidding on muni-WiFi contracts themselves). This time, however, she’s flipped the argument we’ve made here around, saying that dishonesty from the likes of Google proves that net neutrality legislation isn’t needed. There’s just one problem: it’s her side which seems to be acting much more dishonest. She calls it a “scare tactic” by Google to suggest that there would be a two-tiered internet where people might not be able to get to Google. She might want to go talk with the heads of the telcos that fund her think tank, because they’ve all made it clear that they would love to force Google to pay extra to reach their subscribers. . . .

–ME “Liz” Strauss

Related
NET NEUTRALITY PAGE

Great Find for the Mind: A New Measure of Intelligence?

August 31, 2006 by Liz

As I Charge My Brain

Business schools are all looking for ways to add innovations and right-brain thinking to their curriculums. Tufts University is looking for a new way to gauge intelligence.

Great Find: Toward a New Measure of Intelligence

Permalink: http://www.businessweek.com/innovate/content/aug2006/id20060803_891819.htm?chan=innovation_innovation+%2B+design_the+creative+corporation

Audience/Topic: Anyone with an interest with innovation trends in business

Content: Robert Sternberg at Tufts University is looking for a new way to measure intelligence. In this BusinessWeekonline article by Romy Drucker, we find out the details of just what that means. Here’s a quick look.

BETTER PREDICTOR. Sternberg defines intelligence as mental activity devoted to “purposive adaptation to, selection, and shaping of real-world environments relevant to one’s life.” It is no wonder, then, that he believes the university should think about education “in terms of skills that matter.”

His research indicates that when applicants’ creative and practical intelligence are quantified and considered together, there is a substantial increase in the admissions committee’s ability to predict academic success in the first year of college.

He also thinks that the modifications in the Tufts rating system will have the effect of admitting more students who reflect the institution’s values of civic engagement. Given the research correlating test scores with socioeconomic status, the reforms should also help admit a more diverse class

To check out the whole article click the title shot below.

I’m off today working with clients on creativity and innovation. We’ll see whether that helps my own intelligence factor!

–ME “Liz” Strauss

Net Neutrality 8-31-2006

August 31, 2006 by Liz

Net Neutrality Links

I’m adding this link to the Net Neutrality Page.

Net Neutrality Heads Toward Showdown In Senate; May Get Sidelined

. . . Is Internet neutrality a solution without a problem? The hardware companies think so. They haven’t invoked the hoopla around the Y2K debacle, but that’s about the position that they’re taking. “We won’t direct traffic away from the content/service providers”

On the other hand, Internet neutrality groups cite as a battle cry the words spoken last November by AT&T Chairman Edward Whitacre Jr., who said content providers were “nuts” if they thought they could use “my pipes” without paying extra, referring to AT&T’s broadband and telephone DSL services.

The United States Supreme Court opened the battlefield for Congress to step in last year in its Brand X decision, which affirmed the FCC’s decision classifying cable broadband Internet access an information service and not telephone service. The consequence of the decision was not lost on Congress: According to the Supreme Court, cable is not a common-carrier and therefore does not require equal access to its “pipes.”

So, Congress has stepped in with the Communications, Consumer’s Choice, and Broadband Deployment Act of 2006 to solve what some Senators see as the problem. The act seeks to allow phone companies to negotiate national cable franchise agreements instead of the way cable companies must do now: negotiating city-by-city franchise rights. . . . Wags predict it the bill may get sidelined until next year

–ME “Liz” Strauss

Related
NET NEUTRALITY PAGE

Before You Ask for that Link, Know I’m a Relationship Blogger

August 30, 2006 by Liz

Blogging Is Relationships

Let me introduce myself. My name is Liz. I’m delighted that you emailed me about a link from my blog! What a lovely compliment.

But I’m a little concerned too . . . You see, that was all that your email said, “Could we trade links?”

I need to confess something before we go further.

I’m the kind of blogger who wants a relationship not a one link stand.

Please understand I love to share links, but to give a link means to give my trust, my endorsement, and my belief that your blog will continue to make a relevant contribution to the blogosphere. How can I do that if I don’t even know you?

Do you about the SOB links or how they work?

[Read more…]

Net Neutrality 8-30-2006

August 30, 2006 by Liz

Net Neutrality Links

I’m adding this link to the Net Neutrality Page.

Schumer On Net Neutrality

. . . I’m no fan of Chuck Schumer’s political decision-making, as many of you know. As a legislator, though, he can be great sometimes. . . . he’s out on net neutrality.

“. . . As the Internet continues to grow and evolve, we must make sure that average consumers can still use the web to learn, shop, and communicate. The Internet has the power to enhance one of the most fundamental values of our democracy: freedom of speech. . . . I will oppose the flawed and limiting provisions in Senator Stevens’ bill, S. 2686, which would allow Internet providers to discriminate against the websites of their competitors . . . If the Stevens bill is not changed to protect network neutrality, I will oppose it. Network neutrality has allowed the Internet to be an engine of economic innovation, democratic participation, and free speech. Eliminating it would be a serious mistake.”

This is a very very good thing. A thank you call to his Washington office at 202-224-6542 would help Schumer understand that net neutrality is something voters care about.

–ME “Liz” Strauss

Related
NET NEUTRALITY PAGE